5000 Years of History

After our morning at Stonehenge we headed just around the corner to Salisbury to visit one of the most important landmarks in the history of Wessex. Wessex is another name for the South West region of England. This is what it used to be called, meaning it was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England. After the Norman Conquest (1066) Wessex was split between the followers of William the Conqueror. (There's a whole lot more... but it gets quite complicated!) I have read and heard the South West being referred to as Wessex before, but never quite understood the whole thing. There are so many regions and counties and towns and villages here it's a little hard to keep up with it all, but thanks to Wikipedia at least I have a little bit more of an understanding on the term Wessex now!! 

Anyway, Old Sarum is the name of this important landmark, built in the Iron Age around 500 years before Christ. Romans, Saxons and Normans have all left their mark on Old Sarum. 

Unfortunately we don't get to see the castle, royal palace, cathedral and thriving town which the Normans built here all those years ago, but just the remains.

We walked over this modern bridge, which replaces the original wooden bridge you would have walked over to enter the castle, on your way being questioned and sometimes searched before being allowed to enter.

Hard to believe that these banks would have been lined with timber, covered over with plaster and then whitened with lime.

Once allowed inside by the guards, we were invited to play a game of friendly archery with the locals... 

Okay... so I made that bit up, we just paid the admission fee and walked in, saw the archery and decided to have a go! This is Emily collecting her weapons back! 

There were a few signs around saying 'Please don't climb on the walls' so I read them out to Emily and Leilani and a few minutes later we look over to see them reading this information board, both pointing and saying..... DO NOT CLIMB ON THE WALL!!!

We all had a really good time here, mainly because it was such a big open space and the girls could just run free while we had a look around. The view was amazing from every angle and you could see why this spot was chosen to build a castle. It's hard to imagine we are standing where there was once a busy paved courtyard with servants rushing back and forth.

Looking down to where a cathedral once stood, first built in 1075 - 92. However by 1250 it had been demolished leaving only the foundations - which we see here. 

Not sure why I am posting these next 2 pictures, maybe it's to explain what being on the top of a hill in open space and clean fresh air does to you.... makes you feel alive!!!! So I started doing some of Lani's poses!! 

It was good to be able to explain to Leilani that this is where they sent the naughty people... she has been really good lately!!

 

Not sure how bad Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine was, but I read she was imprisoned here at Old Sarum from time to time by her husband King Henry II. I'm sure she wasn't put into one of these but It does make you wonder what they mean by 'imprisoned' after looking down into that! Maybe she just wasn't allowed out of her room!?

Standing where Kings and Queens once stood, dined, ruled, entertained and fought does make you feel like 'The King of the Castle'! Here, it was Emily's turn to be the 'Dirty Rascal'!!

As time went by, Kings of England used this castle less and less. Some repairs were carried out in 1366, but after that the castle gradually fell into disuse and in 1514 it's life was over. King Henry VIII gave the Castle away and ordered to demolish it for building materials. All the good building stone was removed and Old Sarum was left with only the rough edges remaining. Some of what you can see now is only because of extensive excavation work carried out between 1909 and 1925.

Lani and Emily standing in 'their room!'

No explanation on this bit.... maybe it was used for washing clothes???

So after a few roley-poleys down the hill, which were hilarious to watch - Lani going at full speed and Emily unable to take off...

... we said goodbye to Old Sarum, the place where William the Conqueror's nobles gathered to swear allegiance to him in 1086. 

5000 years of history in this place... you need a good imagination to envisage it all!!